'No Grave Unadorned' to repeat and expand

By RICHARD SHAWSun Advocate publisher

Last year, in a one-of-a-kind program, a project to place a flower on every grave in Carbon County's cemeteries on or near Memorial Day was started. The idea sprang from the fact that many graves do not get the yearly decorations others do because families have moved away, died off or some people just never had anyone who took care of their last resting place.

In the end, more than 1,500 volunteers from the county participated in the program either making flowers (with materials provided by the Sun Advocate) or by placing those remembrances on graves in the week before Memorial Day. During the two months before the holiday, many, many people and businesses contributed time and money to the project.

During the days the Sun Advocate was sponsoring that project, the paper got a lot of inquiries from Emery County residents who saw it and they asked "Could we do that too?" Last year the paper's staff had their hands full just arranging for the project they had bitten off, so I told those who asked me, "wait 'till next year."

Well, now next year is here and with this article we are announcing a No Grave Unadorned project that will cover both counties this year. The project will have joint sponsorship from both the Emery Progress and the Sun Advocate.

This project is for both counties' residents to pay homage to those that built their community, regardless of what part they played in its history. Currently newspaper personnel are mapping out the entire project, but we need everyone's help.

First, this year, we have a goal of making 40,000 flowers for the two county area. A "clock" with the flower countdown will appear on the front page of the Sun Advocate in each issue telling residents where we are at concerning that goal. Last year everyone from individuals to civic groups to church groups to schools helped us achieve our goal and then some. We will also keep you updated with a small article on how the project is going in each edition of the Sun Advocate.

Flowers will be placed on graves starting on Saturday, May 21. The efforts will continue through the evening of May 27, just in time to finish for the Memorial Day weekend.

The project is a true gift we as current residents of the area can give to those that created, built and helped our communities to prosper.

I hope all of you can participate, even in a small way, by either making flowers or placing them on the graves.

For information on volunteering or for contributing to the effort please call Shayla Winder at (435) 637-0732.